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Helpful Staging Tips

       

Staging is an important aspect of preparing your property for the real estate market. But how do you make your home appear move-in-ready to potential buyers while you’re still living there? Utilize the following tips to make the selling process run easier and go faster.

  1. When a home changes hands, it almost always needs to undergo a period of cleaning and decluttering. While time consuming, the process can be made less stressful if the bulk of the work is done before your home is put on the market. That way you won’t be in a rush to prepare for showings.
  2. Though it can be tempting to simply stash clutter in any available drawer, cabinet or closet, keep in mind that potential buyers can and will open many of these spaces—revealing a mess you’d planned to keep hidden.
  3. Similarly, if your rooms are packed with furniture and your closets overflowing with clothes, it can seem as though your home doesn’t have enough space, for you or a buyer. Some stagers recommend removing at least 30 percent of items from the home in order to make it appear more spacious.
  4. Once you have cleaned, dealing with daily clutter can still be a hassle. Make a checklist of tasks to complete before leaving the house in the morning so you can be sure your home will be ready for any showings throughout the day.
  5. Having children in the home can be a challenge when trying to sell. You can still let your kids be kids by turning the clean-up process into a game and having your children pitch in. Keep sizeable laundry baskets at hand to quickly stash toys, and assign a task or two to each child to help them feel involved.
  6. To keep bathrooms clutter-free, give each family member a tote to fill with personal items like toothpaste and wash cloths that would otherwise be spread around the room. When it’s time for a showing the totes can be hidden in the closet or under the sink, leaving the bathroom neat and clutter-free.
  7. Make sure to emphasize the natural light in your home. Open all curtains and blinds to maximize potential and show off all the great features of the space.
  8. Take a moment after stepping out the door for the day to re-enter your home. This allows you to get a fresh look at the space and notice things that you may have overlooked, but which potential buyers probably wouldn’t.